In the field of image analysis and display, it is common to display different views of image data to enable a user to study the image data. For example, in medical imaging, Computed Tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or other modalities may provide three-dimensional (3D) image data of an anatomical structure. To enable a radiologist to study the anatomical structure, the 3D image data may be displayed to the radiologist as a sequence of different two-dimensional (2D) cross-sectional views of the anatomical structure. The radiologist may determine which 2D cross-sectional views are displayed by providing appropriate navigation commands.
A system providing the above functionality may also provide system functions which further support a user such as the radiologist in the study of the image data. For example, the system may provide system functions such as image annotation functions, image measurement functions, image analysis functions, image processing functions and reporting functions. Such functions may be selectable by the user, e.g., by clicking a corresponding icon onscreen. In response, the system may execute the selected system function, thereby, e.g., adding an annotation to a region of interest in the image data.
It is known to capture user actions which are performed on an image displaying device. WO 2007/050962 A2 describes an electronic image workflow method and system which includes a client workstation with a high-resolution image displaying device and an input device that captures actions that are performed on the image displaying device. It is said workflow templates may be created using various parameters that define the multi-media display and sequence of actions that are presented to users. Such workflow templates then provide end-users with the ability to follow a pre-designed workflow sequence. It is further said that computerized intelligence agents may also query, retrieve, and/or add additional data to the workflow templates in order to supplement data that is entered to the electronic medical record (EMR) by end-users. Such computerized intelligent agents may also learn to perform the user actions, including repetitive actions or other types of actions based on anatomy, clinical indications, patient profile, and/or other criteria.
A problem of the above electronic image workflow method and system is that it is insufficiently suitable for enabling a user to study image data in a convenient manner.